Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park is a major conservation area at the southern end of Port Phillip Bay near Melbourne in the Australian state of Victoria. It is made up of six separate areas: Great Sands (also called Mud Islands), Swan Bay, Point Nepean, Point Lonsdale, Portsea hole and Popes eye, for a total of 3,580 hectares. This park is used all years round, but heaviest use is during the summer months. Aboriginal people lived in this area before the arrival of Europeans, and today Parks Victoria recognizes native ownership of this land and adjacent waters.
There is a wide range of natural habitats that makes this area rich in wildlife. SCUBA divers and snorkelers come here to see the many species of marine life, as well as several shipwrecks. The blue devilfish is a favorite with divers. Sport fishing is also popular. Commercial net fishing has been banned here since 1970. The waters abound with sponges, gorgonians, soft corals, sea tulips and jewel anemones. This is also a paradise for birding enthusiasts. Some seventy species of birds have been officially recorded on the Mud Islands alone. Among the many species that either live here or pass through in migration is the rare and endangered Orange-Bellied Parrot.
People come to this park to enjoy many activities, and guides are available for most of them: bird watching, motorized and non-motorized boat tours, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, diving and snorkeling. Park authorities advise that visitors use common sense and caution when approached by large marine animals (including birds). Do not leave rubbish behind or do anything to pollute the soil or water. Do not remove and plants or animals, or take pieces of coral. Take the time to learn more about the flora and wildlife and the environment in which they live.
